Luxembourg

I had things to read for work tonight...but on my way home i realized I had forgotten the folder at work, with all the documents..and i honestly didnt feel like going back...so I guess it was meant to be that i relax a bit tonight :)

so i thought I could use the time and post some cards...smart idea, no? :P

I dont often receive cards from Luxembourg, so it was a great delight to receive this lovely surprise from Peggy!
The card shows some nice places in the city of Luxembourg....in the top left corner you can see La Vieille Ville...next to it is the Marché-aux-Herbes, while below are Pulvermuehl and Les Trois Glands.

So it means that there are some really nice sites in Luxembourg of which i barely know anything...coz I just cant seem to get rid of the idea that Luxembourg is not just one small street but has much more to offer than that...

the stamp is from a set of two issued last year, commemorating the Dynasty 2011...and this is Prince Guillaume.

Thank you so much again Peggy for making my mailbox happy! :)

Wieliczka, Poland

well, as you may probably know, I spent the New Year holidays in Poland, Kraków in particularly...so it is safe I guess to post this, without ruining a surprise :) though in case you get a card from Kraków with only an address label and a stamp, and everything else is blank, not even a signature,  know that it is from me...believe it or not, one like that ended up in Croatia...I just hope there are no other cards with the same destiny...really embarrassing!
My initial intention was to actually send cards from here...but fortunately i decided to send them from Kraków instead, coz here i only had like 5 min. free, and it would have been impossible to send anything, and I would have ended up sending nothing...erm...i just managed to send one to myself...ok ok, dont shoot me..sorry...but i had to enrich my UNESCO collection among else

well, ill give you my impressions about Kraków some other time...this time im gonna present you the Wieliczka Salt Mine...a place you MUST visit in case you have the chance! A really fascinating place, built in the 13th century, believe it or not and producing table salt until 2007. The depth goes beyond 300m (visitors are allowed until 110m below ground), while the total length of its tunnels is over 300km...can you imagine?
The choice of cards was rather poor, but i got two....above you can see the Kunegunda shaft bottom (depth 90.8 m.)...where there are rock sculptures showing a group of gnomes who are believed to have helped the Wieliczka miners. You have no idea how real these sculptures are portrayed..
The shaft was used to transport the produce from chambers situated on the Upper Level II to Level I. The figures depict, among others, a crusher, a carrier, a cart driver and a carpenter.
btw, you are allowed to lick the salt off the walls....though i would recommend the ceiling...out of hygienic reasons ;)

this second card shows the beautiful timber of St. John's chapel (135m underground ) which is considered to be the mine’s most beautiful wooden chapel. Unfortunately, we didnt get the chance to see it...though with what ive seen i was more than impressed.

it is funny, but inside the mine they organize weddings, parties, new year celebrations....luckily the guests can use the elevators...otherwise i can imagine a bride on high-heels and a long veil, going down the stairs made of salt :P

probably the most impressive to me was St. Kinga's Chapel...after moving through dark narrow halls, this grand area appears in front of you...you cant not be fascinated with it! Too bad I have no postcard of it to show it to you, but feel free to browse the net....

now, the special thing about this mine is that you can actually mail a postcard from down there, using a special postmark...and i just had to sneak one in, in those 5 minutes i had available...as you can see, im not very savvy at placing postmarks properly but at least it is there :)  Funny fact - i mailed the card on 2 January...there is a second cancellation above, dating from 16 January.... i dont know if they maybe empty the mailbox every fortnight or this card has gotten stuck somewhere, but those two weeks will definitely remain mysterious. Once I mailed it I actually wondered why i hadnt just taken the card with me instead risk sending it, but you know it always feels more special when a card has travelled :)

and unlike at the post office in Kraków, here they didnt sell the famous 3zl stamps (which are considered as priority stamps), but here you get the economy 2.40 zl ones...and this one was issued in 2011 as a Christmas stamp in a set of two.

Thanks a lot to me, myself and I for these cards :)

UP

the kindness called Bryon mailed me this awesome UP card...coz I mentioned i fell in love with the cartoon :)

I know that not all of us have the same taste, however, i do think you should give this cartoon a chance....it is one of the loveliest ive seen in a long long while, touching and hilarious at the same time...

the back of the card would say: UP sometimes dreams like a detour. Disney-Pixar's 10th feature film, opened on May 29 2009, and introduced Carl Fredricksen, a curmudgeonly former balloon salesman. At age 78, Carl finally fulfills his lifelong dream by tying thousands of balloons to his house to fly away to the wilds of South America. But when he finds himself on his great adventure with an overtly enthusiastic 8-year-old named Russell, a talking dog named Dug and a 13-foot-tall rare flighthless bird, Carl discovers that life's true adventure can be found not in travel or great accomplishments but in small, everyday moments with family and friends.

the trailer...just to give you an idea, in case you havent watched it so far




and just lay back and enjoy....you may need some extra napkins though :)

these cards from the Hello series are prestamped...but as you see, postage is not even closely enough for outside the US, so Bryon added another UP stamp, and the ice-bear definitive from 2009.

thank you sooooo much Bryon!

Amalienborg Castle Square, Denmark

The last card for today arrived again from Genek...this time through one of the Facebook swapping groups...I barely participate there, but this one was organized by Heather, and i thought id try my luck...and I ended up with a great card from my favourites :)))

the card shows the Royal Guards at the Amalienborg Castle Square in Copenhagen. The palace is the winter home of the Danish royal family and consists of four identical classifying palace façades
The domed structure you can see is actually Frederik's Church, and not part of the palace. While the monument shows the statue of Frederick V, and is located in the centre of the Square.

Seeing the snow on the card reminds me of the -11 degrees C outside right now....it is brrrrrr cold! when is spring finally going to come?!!

two awesome, 2012 stamps on the card! This set of two bridges' stamps represents: the Queen Alexandrine Bridge (right) and the Farø Bridges (left)

thank you again Genek! For the lovely card and stamps!!

Volcán Masaya, Nicaragua

Last year I received a number of Nicaraguan cards. This one should have arrived then as well, since it was also posted last October...but it decided to take a different route and arrive this year. But as they say, better ever than never :)

the card is a lovely surprise from dear Sissel and from one of her stops during her awesome trip last summer!

here you can see the Volcán Masaya, and in particular, the Santiago crater, which is one of the earth’s most accessible volcanic craters – and one of the most active.

The volcano itself is a shield volcano located 20 km south of Managua, and is Nicaragua's first and largest National Park, and one of the country's 78 protected areas. Its lava pool is one of only four in the world that has a constant level, neither receding nor discharging but perpetually threatening cataclysm.

the funny thing about it is that Local folklore of the Masay Volcano revolve around the belief that the volcano is a gateway to Hell

here is even an episode about it....in case you understand Spanish, you may want to take a look at it

another great part of this card are the fab stamps!!

the souvenir sheet is just AWESOME and is a part of two issued in 1994, showing the Graf Zeppelin over the Pyramids and the Sphinx in April 1931, while on the stamp of the s/s you can see Dr Hugo Eckner, manager of the Luftschiffbau Zeppelin during the inter-war years, and commander of the famous Graf Zeppelin for most of its record-setting flights. The stamp next to it was issued in 1999 but i cant find some details about it except that it has something to do with a Japanese school...

thank you sooo much Sissel!! 

New Orleans, USA

this more reminds me of a Hawaiian means of transport than a tram in New Orleans

...and this is actually a St. Charles Avenue streetcar at Christmastime! It just looks so lovely! Though I must admit that for someone living here it is always hard to visualize celebrating Christmas or New Year in such an atmosphere....we are used to the cold and the snow, which in a way is an association to Christmas....I cant imagine celebrating New Year at the beach in a swimming suit...that's just not it...as it would be weird for Australians maybe to celebrate it while freezing cold...though I do think that secretly they would also wish for a snowy Christmas...that's just the spirit of the holiday :)

the clock stamp is more than famous....the other two are both Forever stamps issued in 2011 - first is a Garden of Love stamp from a set of 10, while the other is a Send a Hello stamp, showing Buzz Lightyear and two of the green, three-eyed aliens from Toy Story

Posázavský Pacifik, Czech Republic

Here is a lovely official card I received!

CZ-156381

The card shows the Posázavský Pacifik train, which according to the sender is a very famous and old train that runs through the romantic valley of the river Sázava.
So it is not really something you would take for a long trip, but it would be nice to have a chance to get on it for a nice scenery exploration.

Here's a summary what you might expect....just dont forget to wave to the passers-by :)

The A-stamp, at the top left, was issued in 2011 in a set of 2, representing Folk Architecture. The one next to it is a Soldier Schwejk stamp (this reminds me of my childhood) issued in a set of 3 in 1997, while the flower one is a definitive from 2010

Cups and Mugs

I decided to close this update with something nice and colourful..

a really GORGEOUS postcard showing various coffee-cups and mugs (of course, you can use these for tea as well..)
Did you know I collect mugs? Yup..that's one of the things which causes HUGE problems regarding free-space around the room, since i have more or less, around 200...can you imagine keeping 200 mugs at one place? I often struggle with it and often end up having nowhere to put other stuff somewhere coz of it (and i must add that postcards give me the same headaches too :P). And just like with postcards, i cant get enough of them and keep getting more and more...though of course not with the same intensity as before...I cant pick a favourite....often it depends on my mood and on what im drinking....some feel perfect for coffee, others for tea...some feel good on rainy days, others have a sunshine personality....and of course, it is good when you have actually plenty to choose from...you will always find something to match up the current situation.

as for the ones on the card....they are just all sooooo lovely, i cant pick a favourite...would love to have them all!!

The Imagine Peace Tower, Iceland

So...work has been really busy lately, plus some other daily chores...and somehow didnt have the time to dedicate to posting here or even writing cards in general...which makes me really behind in both...yeah, not a good way to kick off the year....not to mention the awful cough i caught...fortunately it has calmed down, so i can at least sleep more properly at night and talk without consequences...otherwise it was getting really unbearable..

Anyways, without further ado, let's see my choice for today. First is a lovely Icelandic card that Genek sent me for the favourites tag. And while i loved this card coz it represented Iceland, and had Northern Lights on it, i didnt really know it represented something else...and if it wasnt for this card I wouldnt have known that there is a memorial to John Lehnon in Iceland! You are surprised too maybe?
So turns out that Yoko Ono dedicated this artwork to John, and it is said to be a Tower of Light which emanates wisdom, healing and joy. It communicates awareness to the whole world that peace & love is what connects all lives on Earth. It symbolizes Lennon’s and Ono’s continuing campaign for world peace - which began in the sixties, was sealed by their marriage in 1969 and will continue forever. The Tower is located on Viðey Island in Kollafjörður Bay near Reykjavík, Iceland. It consists of a tall "tower of light", projected from a white stone monument that has the words "Imagine Peace" carved into it in 24 languages.

One of the mesmerising features of the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER is that the strength, intensity and brilliance of its light continually changes with the prevailing weather and atmospheric conditions unique to Iceland - creating a clear pillar of light on a cloudless night, beams irridescing with rainbow refractions in rain or snowfall, and brilliantly reflecting off and through any moving layers of cloud.

The Tower was unveiled on October 9th 2007, John Lennon’s 67th birthday.

Really admirable....and not such a usual location to pick....as if Yoko wanted this to be not so known about yet do something for her husband..I mean, if they talk about Iceland they either talk about volcanoes or economic crisis....i haven't seen this mentioned before, yet im glad to have learned something new.

Thank you Genek!

And here is the so very famous anthem (which honestly sometimes gets annoying to hear it very often on the radio. )

Unfortunately, nowadays is really difficult to imagine all the people living life in peace...

Pompeii, Italy

a great official card arrived the other day in the mailbox!

IT- 162161

Ive ben wanting a card from Pompeii for a long time, and there it is at last! Plus it is a new contribution to my UNESCO whs collection!

I simply love such old non-existent places nowadays...there is something really appealing and fascinating about them, making you wonder about the people who had lived there, their way of life and everyday work. And more than often im fascinated with the architecture in these places and what has been achieved in that sense taking in account the available means and resources.
The specific thing about Pompeii is that it was was destroyed and completely buried during a long catastrophic eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius spanning two days in the year AD 79. Believe it or not, the city was completely lost until accidentally rediscovered in 1749. Can you imagine how it is for a whole settlement to be wiped away? And wonder what has happened to all the inhabitants?

the card shows a number of famous places and things in Pompeii, and if anyone from Italy could send me a single view of these, id be really happy...im especially interested in the Temple of Jupiter, the main Forum, the amphitheatre, the House of the Faun and the Garden of the Fugitives.

Grazie!

Vincenzo, the sender, also used some really nice and not so usual stamps...or more specifically, rather older ones and also a number of these are Vatican stamps, not Italian. The top right one is from a set of 6 stamps regarding the Second Vatican concile, while the three next to it are a set of Christmas stamps. All these were issued in 1966. The bottom stamps are Italian, where the left one was issued in 1960 and is a part of a 9 stamps-set commemorating the Olympic games in Rome, while the stamp next to it was issued in 1962, representing a Counting court.  Unfortunately, there is no cancellation, so i cant tell where this card has bee mailed from, whether Vatican or Italy...and if someone actually knows maybe...are Italian stamps valid in Vatican and vice-versa?

Holland

A great card Peggy sent me for her cultural RR.

the card shows a typical Dutch way of eating herring. (personally, not very fond of it). The herring is raw, and apart from how it is shown on the card, another way to eat it is to hold the whole fish above you and let it slide in.(yuck!)
The specific-type of herring which is the first young herring suitable for consumption is called Holandese Nieuwe. It is prepared in a traditional Dutch way after it's been caught. The first day these new young herrings are being caught is celebrated in the town of Scheveningen with flag-day. The harbour is decorated with flags and the first barrel of herring is auctioned and the money goes to charity. It can go up to 70.000 euros!

there are two stamps on the card and the left one is really nice. It was issued in 1988 commemorating the Australian Bicentenary which was celebrated in 1970 on the 200th anniversary of Captain James Cook landing and claiming the land, and again in 1988 to celebrate 200 years of permanent European settlement. The other stamp is from a set of four Tourism stamps and was issued in 1996

Polatsk, Belarus

my last card for today comes from Belarus...actually it is two cards...and I received them both as officials, but I guess the second sender didnt know I already had it...so hence, sometimes you end up with duplicates :)

BY - 281619/BY-307758

The left side of the card shows St. Sophia's Cathedral, while on the right, as the back of the card says, "Dramatized knights' fights in Polatsk"

Polatsk is said to be the oldest city in Belarus, and one of the most ancient cities of Eastern Slavs, mentioned in ancient manuscripts dating back from 806. 

Im just not sure what the symbol behind the knights' fighting is, so contributions are welcome. 

as i said, i got two copy of the card and both with different stamps. the first one has 3 different stamps. The hare stamp is from a set of 5 stamps issued in 2008, showing wild animals. The one next to it is a Christmas stamp from a set f two issued in 2010, while the one below is another 2008 stamp from a set of 8 Garden Flowers' stamps, this one showing a Narcissus.

here we have more or less the same issues, just different stamps, which is good. the left one is from the Wild animals series, showing a Forest Marten, while the Garden Flower stamp shows a tulip.

so, that would be it...enjoy your weekend :)

Tunisia

Well, HELLO and HAPPY HOLIDAYS to all of you!! Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year...whatever you celebrate. I know it is a bit late and that ive been absent for a long while, but you know how life gets around holidays....and I have to admit that I have been in a low mood in general, and now matter how much I forced myself to, in the end I just couldnt get myself to make at least another update before the end of 2011, even though I had already had the cards prepared....but well, lets see how will 2012 go and if Im gonna be more disciplined or things will go even slower...

well I hope you've enjoyed the holidays (except for the ones celebrating Orthodox Christmas - me included - which is yet about to come). I hope this 2012 will bring you the joys of the world you've been desiring whatever that it may be...and of course, many great new postcards from places far and away...postcard-wise, my year started not that bad, however, for this update I will stick to some older cards which had already been foreseen to be posted.

And we will start with Tunisia...one of those countries I have several postcards from thanks to Judit...however, I always realize too late that it's been TOO long between two Tunisia posts.
So here are two great map cards I have.

the one above represents Tunisia in a more cartoon-esque, while the one below in a more picturesque manner...the latter I guess is more helpful in regarding what to see. However, I do in a way prefer the above type of map cards...they are just too cute :))

Never been to Tunisia as you had probably read in some of my previous Tunisian posts...never really been attracted to these Northern African countries...however, right now I sort of regret it coz with all the events around there, I wonder if I will have the chance to pay a visit....you know me...i may not have a huge desire to visit a certain place...but if I get a chance to go there, i would certainly take it, and most probably enjoy it...you just need to know how to make the most out of it and see as much as possible, even if that meant waking up at 7 am and coming back to the hotel after midnight...which was some sort of practice during my holiday in Spain this summer...but it was more than worth it :)

btw, in case you end up receiving a blank postcard in the following days/weeks...it might be from me....ive been rather absent-minded lately and I ended up both sending the same thing twice to someone as well as sending out a totally blank postcard, except for the address and the stamp....embarrassing....

Strasburg Rail Road, USA

a great train card I received from Laura...the blue tone in the background against the green and the black is why it is so extra appealing to me.

the back of the card says: Strasburg Rail Road, Route 741. Daily runs to Paradise include a stop at Groff's Grove where passengers may enjoy a quiet picnic......catching a later train to complete their trip.
some postcards are really generous with information, no? :)

The website of the Strasburg's Rail Road says it was founded in 1832 and the earliest timetable found to date indicates Strasburg trains were scheduled as of December 1851.
With its ups and downhills over the years, today the Strasburg Rail Road is one of Lancaster County's most popular tourist attractions - and recognized as one of America's most significant examples of early 20th century railroading

always pleased to see some different stamps on my US postcards....the one on the right is from 2001 and shows the McKinley mountain, while the balloon stamp is from a booklet pair from 1991...nice and colourful

Stonehenge, England

believe it or not it was this year that I received my first two Stonehenge postcards...being so popular I dont know how it had slipped from my collection until now...

the first Stonehenge card was sent by dear JP and as the back of the card says Stonehenge is one of the most important megalithic monuments in Europe believed to have been built for religious and astronomical purposes between 3000 BC and 1500 BC.

It is indeed a fascinating monument and it is also an addition to my UNESCO whs collection. And speaking of such monuments....did you know that Macedonia also has one? It is called Kokino and is situated in the north-eastern part of the country and has been put on the list of NASA's ancient megalithic observatories, along places such as Stonehenge and Angkor Wat.....so we are pretty proud of it....we are just still waiting for it to be officially declared as a UNESCO whs...I know some of you already have a postcard of it...if you dont and you'd want to...just let me know...ill try to obtain the Kokino stamps too ;-))

JP used three stamps on the card...the two definitives are something you are familiar with, but the third one is something i rarely get to see and really like it...it is from a set of 10 stamps commemorating the Diamond Wedding Anniversary (1947-2007)

I got this other Stonehenge card in the favourites tag....the colours are just amazing and the moon gives a special effect to the image...though i do wonder if it is real or a bit photoshopped...either way, the card is just AWESOME!

Viaduto Carvalho, Brazil

my last card for today is a train card from Brazil...

I think this is one of the most beautiful train cards Ive seen from Brazil and the railroad itself counts as one of the State's most beautiful attractions (this is in the state of Paraná) The card shows the Carvalho Viaduct. It received this name in honor of the President of the Province of Paraná at the time, Carlos de Carvalho and is over 100 metres high. Looks rather scary too...but that's where the adrenaline lies :)

a short video about it when the train is taking this particular turn




 well, that would be all for now...short is better than nothing :) Hope to see you soon! Im off to deal with my cold and sore throat...